Fortissimo to receive Asian award

Hong Kong Intl. Film Festival Society fetes shingle

BEIJING — The Hong Kong Film Festival Society will give a special award to Fortissimo Films for its promotion of Asian cinema at the 5th Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong on March 21.

“Fortissimo from its beginning sought out the best that was Asian cinema and brought it to the world, helping to create the ascendancy of Asian Cinema that we see and celebrate here today,” said fest chairman Wilfred Wong.

The award will be accepted by Michael J. Werner, chairman of the Hong Kong- and Amsterdam-based company.

Wong also acknowledged the great contribution Fortissimo made to the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), which gives an award every year to honor the memory of Fortissimo founder Wouter Barendrecht, who died in 2009.